The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-09-01
SOU are not repining, you are not fretrul, you

trlall I'm, you say, tooh tho HheuiViho
that God gave my sick SOUL In my distress
threw myself at the feet OF sympathizing
God, and when was too weak to pray or TO
look up, he breathed into me u peace that
think must be the foretaste of that Heaven
where there is neither tear, nor q farewell,
nor grave.n Come, all We who have been
out to the grave to weep there-come, all ye
comforted souls, get up off your knees. Is
there no power in this Gospel to soothe the
heartl Is there no power in this religion to
quiet the worst paroxysm OF griefl There
comes up an answer from comforted widow
hood and orphanage and childlessness, say
ing: AYE, aye, we are witnesses
Again, remark that we are witnesses OF
the TACT that religion has power to give COM
,osu,., In the last moment. Shall novor for
yet the first time l confronted death. We
V,ent across the corniields in the country. l
was led by my fathers hand and we came to
the farm house were the bereavement had
come, and we saw the crowd of wagons and
CARRIAGES; but there was one carnage that
especially attracted my boyish attention, ana
it nad black plumes, lsaid: whats that'
what's that, Why those black tassels at the
top@ and after it was explained to me, was
lifted up to look upon the bright face OF an
aged Christian woman, who three days before
mad parted in triumph. The whoie scehe
made an impression never forgot,
we are very apt, when we want to bring Illus
trations OF dying triumph, to so back to some
distinguished personage-to John Knox OF
harriet Newell But l want you Tor VIII
ueSSeS.
| want to knew if you have ever seen any.
hing to make you believe that tine rellSioh VI
Christ can give composure III the maj hour'
Now, in the courts, attorney, jury and Judge
will never admit mere hearsay. They de-
a., Ia
his own eyes, or heard with his own ears, and
so | am critical i'll my examination OF you
now, and want to know whether you have
seen or heard anything that makes you be-
lieve that the religion of Christ gives comfort
in the final hour.
ooh, yes" you say, 81 saw my father and
mother depart There was a great difference
in their deathbeds Standing by the one we
felt more veneration. By the other there was
more tenderness Before the one you bowed
perhaps in awe In the other case you felt as
If you would like to go along with her. How
did they feel in that last hour! How did they
seem to act.' Were they very much fright
ened! Did they take hold of this world with
both hands as though they did not want to
give it ups ooh, no" you say, mo, remem
Der as though it were yesterday; She had
kind word Tor us all, and there were few
mementoes distributed among the children
and then she told us how kind We must be tc
our father i'll his loneliness and tnen she
kissed us goodby and went asleep as child IL
4 CRADLE
What made her so composed! Natural
courage! NO" you say; mother was very
nervous. When the carriage inclined to the
side of the road she would cry out. She was
always rather weakly What, then, gave
her composures Was it because she did not
care much for you and the pang of parting
was not great. oh" you say, she ShoWerC
upon us wealth of affection; no mother evel
loved her children more than mother loved
us. She showed it by the way she nursed u
when we were sick, and sne toiled for us until
her strength gave out" What, then, was II
that gave her composure in the last hour
Do not hide it, Be frank and let me know
"Oh," you say, ''it was because she was sc
good. She made the Lord her portion, and
she had faith that she would so straight tc
glory, and that we should all meet her at las'
at the foot of the throne"
Here are people who say: 81 saw Chris
tian brother die, and he triumphed." Anc
some enc else: II saw a Christian sister die
and she triumphed.n Some one else will say
II saw Christian daughter die and She
triumphed." Come, all ye who have seel
the last moments of a Christian, and giv'
| testimony in this cause on trial. Uncover
| your heads, put your hand on the old family
| Bible from which they used 10 read thu
| promises, and promise in the presence o.
high heaven that you will tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth
| With what you have seen with you
| own eyes, and from what you hav
heard with your own ears, is there power il
this Gospel to give calmneSs and triumph il
the last exigency The response comes from
| all sides, from young, and old, and middle
aged: 1--WE are witnesses ~
You see, my friends, have not put befor
you an abstraction or a chimera, OF anythin.
like guess work. present you atfidavits o
the best men and women, living and dead
| Two witnesses in court will establish fact
Here are not two witnesses but Thousands o
witnesses-on earth millions of witnesses, ant
| in heaven great multitude of witnesses tina
no man can number, tes5ifying that there
power in this religion to convert the soul, t
give comfort in trouble, and to afford com
posure in the last hour.
If ten men should come to you when yo1
ave sick with appalling sickness, and sa.
| tney had the same sickness, Snd TOOK
certain medicine, and it cured them, yo'
would probably take it. Now, suppose tel
other men should come up and say: W.
don't believe there is anything in that Inedl
cine .Well," say: "have you ever tried 1T.
"No. never tried it, but don't beliey
there is anything in it." OF course you dis
credit their testimony. The skeptic ma.
| come anu Say. ueIe Is III JoWCi III w
religion!" "Have your ever tried itF' mo
no. sThen avaunt!' Let me take the ties
timony of the millions of souls that have beel
| converted to God and comforted in trial AM
solaced in the last hour We will take thei
testimony as they cry: ''We are witnesses!
Some time ago Prof. Henry, of Washing
ton, discovered a new star, and the tiding
sped by submarine telegraph. and all tn
! obseryatories were watching for tina
new star Oh, hearer; looking out throug
the darkness of your soul, canst tho
see a bright light beaming on thee. Where!
you say, "Wheres How can / find itm Loo
along by the line of the cross of the Son o
God. Do you not see it trembling with al
tenderness and beaming with all hope? 1t
the Star of Bethlehem.
Deep horror then my vitals froze
| Death struck, ceased the tide to stem,
| When suddenly star arose
| 1t was the Star OF Bethlehem
1t is easier for you all to become Christian
than it is to stay away from Christ and heaven
When Mime. Sontag began her mucical caree
she was Missed off the stage at Vienna by tn
friends of her rival, Amelia Steininger, VIII
had already begun to decline through he
dissipation. Years passed on, and one da
Nine. Sontag, in her glory. was ridin
through the streets of Berlin, when she saw
little child leading blind woman, and sh
otlh. SoihO hOiCJ my iI1Nie NiiitNt
| Who is that you are leading by the hand!
And the little child replied: That's m.
mother; that's Amelia Steininger. She USE
to be great singer, but she lost her voice
and she cried SO much about it that she los
her eyesight." "Give my love to her." sal
Nine. Sontag, land tell her an old acquaint
ance will cali on her this afternoon"
The next week in Berlin vast assembling
gathered at benefit for that poor blind VIC
man. and it was said that Nine. Sontag sam
| that night as she had never sung before. An
she took skilled occulist, who in vain trie
to give eyesight to tine poor blind woman
Until the day of Amelia Steininger's deaf
Nine Sontag took care of her and her daugt
ter after her That was what the queen G
song did for her enemy.
| But, oh! hear more thrilling story still
Blind, immortal, poor and lost-thou who
when the world and Christ were rivals fo
thy heart, didst hiss thy Lord away-Chris
comes now to give thee sgnt, to give thee
home, to give thee heaven. With more tina
Sontag's generosity he comes now to mee
your need. With more than Sontag
music he comes to plead for thy deliverancC
PROMINENT PEOPLE